| The South Bend Tribune, Sunday, January 28, 1979 
STUDENT IN COMMAND-Mary Link of Clay High School attends to her work while floor directing at the WNDU studios for Beyond Our Control. Photos by Chuck Sheridan, Clay High School
By HEIDI MOSER
Clay High School
Tonight's the night! Yes, you can tune in to Channel 16 at 6 p.m. today for the scheduled premiere of Beyond Our Control, the award-winning Junior Achievement television show.
The show is student-written and student-produced and tonight's episode marks the beginning of the series' 12th year. This season will be highlighted by the appearances of Elvis (David Akins of LaSalle High School), body snatchers (Karen Sears of Riley and Amy Anderson of LaSalle), Bozo snatchers (Mark Wilson of Riley and Bill Loring of Clay Middle School), and characters played by Laura Maione and Laura Lea Keays of Riley, Sherri Hansen of Clay, Bob Zielinski of Adams and other students.
Other highlights include a Jaws parody featuring a telekinetic shark, "Fantasy Coffeeshop", "Michiana Bandstand and Weekday," the show that just won't go away.
Beyond Our Control has expanded over the years to include movie satires, film animation and imaginative fantasy, as well as the conventional TV parodies.
BOC was created in 1967 by Dave Williams. His death in 1977 was almost the end of the program.
"Without Dave, we had no desire to produce the show, but he wanted BOC to continue even in his absence," said Marc Wellin, a BOC company member from Marian High School.
Hard work kept the program together, and now BOC is ready for a new year.
As Williams wrote, "BOC is a critical look at a 23-inch America, measured diagonally. Whenever something is stupid, tasteless, fraudulent, irritating, and impossible to do anything about, then it's beyond our control. And that's what the show is all about."
Adviser Joseph Dundon said, ""BOC is the happiest piece of organized confusion, disguised as education, that has ever confronted both the television industry and the poor, unsuspecting Michiana viewing public."
"It's remarkable what it does for people," Jan Sellers of Clay added. "BOC provides an outlet for kids with talent. There's nothing else like it."
The program is written and prouced entirely by high school students with the help of three advisers. On Saturday mornings, all technical operations for BOC at WNDU are in students' hands.
There are 29 members representing nine schools. Company president Lynn Lodyga of Clay commented that "the people make BOC what it is...who could forget Harry Obnoxious?"
Members must donate time talent, and monetary gifts sometimes, getting fame, memories, and minuscule fortunes in return.
Unlike other JA companies, BOC continues throughout the summer months. During this time, however, the work schedule isn't as strict.
Most of the on-location filming takes place during July and August. This summer's main project was the "Jaws of Fury" segment. Its dramatic plot centers around a telekinetic shark that terrorizes a small town.
While JA is officially in session, BOC operates like any other JA company, with several notable exceptions. In addition to Wednesday night meetings at the JA Center, there are writers' meetings on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings, prop sessions, art work after school, set design meetings, impromptu get-to-gethers, and, of course, the Saturday morning taping sessions.
For taping, the early crew must arrive at 6 am. and the full company must be at the station at 7 am.
"During the first few weeks it's really hard to get up, but about half way through the year, my metabolism adjusts to it, and I manage to get to WNDU by 6 AM- in a zombie-like state, but I get there Lori Healy of St. Joseph's High School said.
Beyond Our Control's JA product is - surprise! - the TV show. To make money, commercials are sold. At the end of the year, salaries are paid, and the profits are equitably divided (in direct proportion to a member's responsibility for producing the wealth).
Contrary to popular belief, Beyond Our Control is not all fun and games It can be seen as a happy medium somewhere between hard work and clowning around.
The key word to BOC is "dedication"- and some graduating members have found it difficult to break away.
"Give me BOC, or give me death."proclaimed Tim Daughtery of Riley.
What, then, is the BOC experience?
In the words of Larry Karaszewski of Riley, "It's more than just an activity, it's a style of life, a way of thinking. It has changed my life."
"I'm a senior, but I just joined BOC this year," Marc Wilson of Riley said. "The deepest regret I have in life, so far, is not trying out for it earlier."
Production manager Kevin Fye of Washington is optimistic about the new season.
"We're going to have a very fresh look this year. We've gone through a lot of changes and a lot of people are going to be surprised," he said.
Adviser Denny Laughlin believes the 1979 BOC bunch is ""the most enthusiastic group of kids I've seen in years.
According to another adviser, Bob Medich, "This year is going very well. The show should be a big improvement over last year."
So, if you want to see the talent of some of Michiana's youth and have a few laughs along the way, tune in today at 6 p.m. for Beyond Our Control.
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